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General Information: Ohio is at the southern extent of the northern pike native range so populations are localized and mostly restricted to Lake Erie and northern rivers. Historically, the Division of Wildlife stocked northern pike into lakes across Ohio, but in 1991, the northern pike stocking program ended so all northern pike fisheries are now maintained by natural reproduction.
State Record: 22.38 pounds, 43 inches, Lyre Lake
Chris Campbell, Dayton, Ohio
October 3, 1988
Fish Ohio Length: 32 inches
Tips:
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Northern pike reproduce over aquatic vegetation so concentrate effort in these areas.
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Use a heavy monofilament or braided fishing line or steel leader to prevent pike from breaking the line.
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Use bright, flashy, and noisy lures to attract the attention of Northern Pike.
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Pike have a slime coat over their scales and removal of the slime coat make the fish more susceptible to bacterial infections. To remove hooks, place your fingers under the gill cover and slide them toward the mouth till you feel the jaw bone, and then lift the fish slightly, opening the mouth revealing the hooks. If necessary for smaller fish, a wet cloth can be used to wrap around the fish to improve a body grip.
Tackle: Medium weight spinning or baitcasting tackle with 10 pound test line for fishing live bait and a 6’ -7’ long medium/heavy rod with 12-16 pound test line for fishing crankbaits or trolling.
Regulations: none
Where to go: Mosquito Lake in Trumbull County, West Branch Reservoir in Portage County, and along Lake Erie try East Harbor, West Harbor and Sandusky Bay; rivers include the Cuyahoga River upstream from Cuyahoga Falls, the Tuscarawas River upstream of New Philadelphia, and the Maumee River between Grand Rapids Dam and Waterville
Seasonal Fishing Approaches:
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Summer
(June - mid-September)
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Fall
(mid-September - November)
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Winter
(December - February)
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Peak Activity
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Peak |
Good |
Poor |
Good |
Fair |
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Presentation
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Live or dead bait; spinnerbaits with Colorado blades; suspending stickbaits like Husky Jerks; muskie lures such as Bull Dawgs. |
Soft Plastics like Slug-Go or Berkley Gulps; buzzbaits; spinnerbaits, and smaller Muskie lures. Noisy, bright, crankbaits with a medium-fast retrieve near vegetation and rock points; occasionally “pump” the lure on the retrieve. |
The summer bite is very slow. Try Mepps spinners or large wiggling crankbaits with rattles. Fish the thermocline or springs entering water in the mornings. |
Spinnerbaits; buzzbaits; large brightly colored deep-diving crankbaits bouncing off the bottom.Skim the top of vegetation and deepwater structures.
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Large minnows and suckers through ice; Dardevle, bluefox, and other small wobbling spoons and spinnerbaits. Dead bait fished near the bottom under a bobber. Cast with a slow retrieve. |
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Location
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After ice-out, fish are looking for spawning areas. Target the marshes, flooded areas, or shallow bays, especially the north and east shorelines where the water warms fastest. |
Fish deeper/cooler water, near weed lines, downed trees and stump fields.
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Look for springs and cool feeder creeks. Lakes are stratified and fish will stay in colder water near the thermocline but will rise up to feed.
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In cooler temperatures pike cruise weed beds looking for their next meal. |
Pike are cruising the shorelines, bays, and shallow bars looking for suitable spawning areas with aquatic vegetation.
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